ZANY ZOO

Wise will drop readers fond of relentlessly pun-ishing doggerel into hog heaven with this manic menagerie. From a watermelon-loving “melon collie” to four garlic-eating rabbits making a “hares’ breath escape” from Mr. Fox, each set of verses brings a fresh round of “panda-monium,” “fowl play” or “otter confusion”—all of which is expertly captured in Munsinger’s jovial, finely detailed watercolors. Follow this up with Charles Hoce’s Beyond Old MacDonald: Funny Poems from Down on the Farm (2005), illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, for yet more sheep thrills and wordplay. After all, “one good tern deserves another.” (Picture book/poetry. 6-8)